Stepladder



w. M. voss.

STEPLADDER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1920.

1 359,297, 7 Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

6 If M Vbmr WILLIS M. VOSS, OF MUNTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

v STEPLADDER.

Application filed May 24, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIS M. Voss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stepladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in stepladders, and has for an object to provide an improved ladder of an extensible character adapted to be collapsed into compact form for easy handling and for carrying from place to place, and so constructed as to be capable of extension into a relatively high ladder when its use manded for reaching places which are inaccessible to the ordinary stepladder.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a simple ladder having adjusting eas and quick operation.

11 the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a front view of an improved stepladder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side .view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through a portion of the ladder.

means capable of Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale through two adjacent bars of the ladder showing the perforations and the device for holding the stile bars against relative movement; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the intermediate sliding portion of the ladder showing the end notches and V extensions of the bars.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the ladder is composed of a pair of stile bars 1 and 2 between which are connected a number of treads 3. The stile bars 1 and 2 have secured at theirupper ends and against their outer faces a pair of head blocks 4 and 5 through which pass the pivots 6 and 7 which hold the ladder support. The lower edges of the head blocks 4 and 5, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, are provided with points 8, and straps 9 and 10 of metal or other suitable material are se- Specification of Letters Patent.

I at the lower portions thereof is deand inexpensive step- Patented Nov. 16,1920. Serial No. 383,872.

cured as by nails 11 and 12 to the stile bars 1 and 2 and embrace the points 8 of the head blocks 5.

Guides 13 and 14, similar to the straps 9 and 10, are secured to the stile bars 1 and 2 and slidingly receive their stile bars or hangers 15 and 16 of a second ladder section. The hangers 15 and 16 are provided with V-shaped cut-outs 17 at their upper ends to receive the points 8 onthe head blocks 4 and 5 when the ladder sections are collapsed. The joints between the points 8 and cut-outs 17 are confined and guided in place by the straps 9 and 10.

The stile bars 15 and 16 are provided at their lower ends with posed of hangers 18'and 19and'steps or treads 20. This foot section is preferably permanently secured tov the stile bars 15 and 16 and moves up and down therewith. An intermediate ladder section is composed of side stiles2l and 22 and treads 23, the same 7 being provided with guides 24 and 25 which slide freely up and down on the stile bars 15 and 16. The upper ends of the stile bars 21 and 22 are preferably also pointed, as in- 26, and in the same manner as in- 7 adapted to be engaged by hooks or pins 30 bent rightangularly from hand levers 31 that are fulcrumed at 32 in suitable brackets secured to the levers. employed to yieldingly the perforations 29. By depressing the levers 31, the pins are withdrawn so that the ladder sections may be adjusted.

The ladder support is composed of bars 84 and 35 secured together at the lower ends by a transverse brace 36 and also preferably reinforced by a diagonal brace 37. Extension bars 38 and 39. are slidably secured to the main bars 34 and 35, guides 40 and 41 being employed to hold the two sets of bars in slidable relation. Blocks 42 and 43 act as stops to limit the upward movement of the extension bars. operate with perforations 45 in the bars to hold the same in adjusted position.

In use the stile bars may all be collapsed together, as may also the extension bars of Coil springs 33 are hold the pins 30 in a foot section com- Similar levers 44 co the support, and the ladder in this condition is a" comparatively small one, easy to carry about. When the same is to be set up the sections may be extended as desired to form a ladder oi a desired height, the pins 30 holding the sections in adjusted position.

A connection 4:6 may be made between the stile bars and the support, if desired.

It is obvious that those skilled in the'art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spiritot my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims. .7

I claim:

1. An improved extensible "ladder comprising a pair of stile bars secured in parallel relation, treads extending crosswise therebetween, guides carried by said stile bars and extending outwardly t ereof, a second pair of stile bars slidably received in said guides and extending beyond the ends of the first mentioned stile bars, the upper ends of said seconc. mentioned stile bars having V -shaped notches therein, head blocks secured at the upper ends of the first mentioned stile bars and in the same plane with the'second mentioned stile bars,

said head blocks having V-shaped exten:

sions' i ormed attheir lower ends for entering into the V-shaped notches on the upper ends of the second mentioned stile bars, a foot section permanently secured between the lower ends of said second mentioned stile bars andcomposed of a pair of relatively short stile oars and treads-attending across the same, an intermediate ladder section mounted above said foot piece and composed of stile bars and treads connected be 7 tween said stile bars, sald intermed ate section provided with guides .slidably movable on the second mentioned stile bars, the upper ends of the stile bars of the intermediate section being provided with V-extensions, the lower'ends of the'first mentionedlstile bars being provided with V notches to fit such extensions, and means to hold the several stile bars in the adjusted position, substantially as described.

2. A stepladder comprising a pair of stile bars, treads connectedtherebetween, a pair of head blocks secured exteriorly of said bars and at the upper ends thereof, guides carried by the lower ends of said stile bars, a second pair of stile bars extending beyond the ends of the first mentioned stile bars and fitted in said guides, the adjacent ends of the head blocks and second mentioned bars adapted to come together and provided with interfitting'parts, a foot section secured permanently at the lower ends 01 said second mentioned stile bars, an intermediate ladder section composed of stile bars in the same plane with the first mentioned stile bars and being slidable on the second mentioned stile bars, the upper ends of the intermediate stile bars adapted to abut against the lower ends of the first mentioned stile bars, the lower ends otthe intermediate bars adapted to abut against the upper ends of the foot section, and means for securing said several stile bars in adjusted position, substantially as described.

3. An improved stepladder comprising a pair of parallel stile bars, treads connected therebetween, head blocks secured on the outside faces at the upper ends of said stile bars, guides extending laterally of the stile bars at their lower portions, a second pair of stile bars slidably fitted through said guides and adapted to abut against the head blocks when in collapsed position, a foot section on the lower ends of said second mentioned stile bars comprising other stile bars arranged in the same plane with the first mentioned stile bars, and treads connected between the foot section stile bars, an intermediate ladder section composed of further stile bars mounted in the same plane with the first mentioned stile bars and with the foot section stile bars, and treads connected between the intermediate stile bars, guides carried by the intermediate stile bars and slidingly embracing said second mentioned stile bars, said stile bars being peritorated at their overlapping portions, and a pivoted spring pressed catch adapted to enter the lining perforations to hold the parts in adjusted position, substantially as described.

. WILLIS M. VOSS. 

